The Legend of Zelda DX
by HaruHikari133
Summary: When Link accidentally became friends with Princess Zelda as a little boy, he had no idea he would one day become the hero that saved not only his country, but the entire world... { A novelization. Original characters and subplots to bolster the content from the original 'The Legend of Zelda'. Suggestions welcomed.
1. Prologue

Even through the large window, moonlight struggled to illuminate Princess Zelda's bedroom.  
Her face was completely obstructed by the hood she wore, and as she pulled her cloak tighter around her body her figure seemed to diminish. Her heart thudded heavily in her chest, so loud and oppressive against the deadly silence, Zelda wondered if Gannon was using it as a beacon, leading his evil presence straight towards her...  
From beneath her cloak Zelda produced a small pouch, yet what was interesting about the seemingly unremarkable object was the way a pure, beautiful, almost holy light emanated from inside. Zelda slowly, almost fearfully, reached her free hand upwards and gently tugged back her hood. The face of a young girl was revealed, with long, blond hair, and beautiful blue eyes that normally sparkled with a spectacular light - yet now were filled only with sorrow.  
"Please, Goddesses... forgive me," she whispered, in a small voice that barely reached the cold, stone walls of her chambers. With a swift movement, Zelda closed her eyes, and raised the small pouch in the air. The light seemed to intensify, and she allowed the fabric to fall towards the ground; revealing the most brilliant, breathtaking artifact - a small golden triangle, that seemed to shine with all the wisdom of the ancients.  
"Go forth!" Zelda cried, and with her exclamation, the Triforce of Wisdom splintered, and with the blink of an eye, broke into five pieces, flying away in various directions, through the walls, ceiling, and window.  
"The hope of Hyrule... still survives." Zelda paused, as the door behind her swung open, and a booming voice echoed straight into her soul.  
"Princess Zelda... Here you are." 


	2. Chapter 1

Link was a _young _boy; not experienced enough to fully understand the dangerous of the world, yet not so ignorant to think such things didn't exist. Yet his world was limited to his hometown, the forest surrounding it, and the town nearby where his father made weekly trips to deliver his wares. 'Danger' to him meant losing his sense of direction in the woods, falling from whatever structure he happened to be climbing, or treading too near to his father's forge. Regardless, Link was a good child, who had a clear sense of right and wrong. His mother often praised this, patting his golden blond hair and smiling at him with loving pride.  
"You're a courageous boy, Link," she would say, and adjust his hat or tighten his belt after a long day of playing. "I'm sure you get it from your father."  
Link's father didn't necessarily agree. One day, as Link watched him finish one of his swords, he fixed his son with a firm look in his eye, and said, "You know, I think you resemble your grandfather more than me."  
Link blinked, surprised, but immediately broke into a smile; he loved his grandfather very much, and never felt like getting to bed until he heard one of his interesting stories about various place around the world.

The four of them lived together like this for many peaceful years, yet we all know that peace cannot last forever. It began with the day Link decided he would spend the day in the woods, with his friend from the neighboring town. Her name was Sarah; a bright, cheerful girl who challenged Link to tree-climbing races as often as she could, and Link always found himself hard-pressed to win. The two had become close friends over the years, and it had been quite some time since they spent the entire day adventuring in the wood. Before he had left, his mother had packed him a bag filled with food and other necessaries, giving him a gentle kiss on his forehead before he left. Link's father gave him a stern warning to be home before it grew dark, and gave him a pat on the head accompanied with a proud smile. His grandfather was also spending the day away, doing some shopping in the town. Hyrule castle town was a bustling place, and it wasn't often that Link's grandfather had the energy to venture out into its overwhelming preoccupation with the frantic. That day he felt particularly perky, and decided to run some errands for Link's mother. The sun was shining, white clouds drifted by without a sign of grey, and all seemed as typical as it could ever have been.  
Yet, as the day went by, and Link glanced back towards the village, he noticed a thick, black column of smoke rising into the sky. Fear rose into his throat, and he glanced nervously at Sarah.  
"What is that?" she asked, looking just as anxious. Link shook his head.  
"I'm not sure. Let's go back."  
The two nodded, and rushed back towards Hyrule Castle Town as quickly as their feet could carry them.

Time seemed to slow, and nothing made sense to his senses.  
The flames rose higher and higher; Link's home was completely engulfed in flame, yet every man and woman in the village gathered water from the nearby river, trying to calm it. Link felt as though ice was running through his veins instead of blood. Sarah said something from beside him, but he couldn't understand her words. It was only when the face of his grandfather suddenly blocked his view that he snapped back to reality.  
"Link! Link, are you alright?!"  
"I... I'm fine..." he managed, feeling shocked and dizzy.  
"It was the forge, boy," his grandfather replied, tears spilling down his cheeks. "The flames must have gone out of control, and spread to the home. No one can find my son or your mother."  
Link wasn't sure when, but he found himself rushing towards the house, heading straight for the maze of red, orange, and yellow. Someone held him back with firm, strong hands, and more voices rung around him.  
_Mother and father are okay.  
They must be safe.  
Father would have taken mother and gotten out right away.  
_Even when they found the charred remains of his parents, Link couldn't believe it.  
Even as their wrapped corpses were lowered into the graveyard, his thoughts couldn't connect.  
Link's grandfather assured him they would be safe, that they could rebuild, that they could continue his father's business somehow; but Link knew the truth. There would be no more forge. No more soft kisses on his forehead. No more guiding hands to grasp onto his own.  
All Link had left were his grandfather's stories, now strained and filtered through Link's newfound understanding of the world.  
Life was fleeting. Nothing was permanent.  
He said his goodbyes to Sarah, but continued to write her as often as he felt he could; but something in him died in that fire.

Merely months later, Link found himself wandering the town yet again, as though searching for purpose among the buildings and crowds. He remembered the days when he and his friends would climb the stone walls along the outer castle and sneak into the royal gardens. The flowers were so calming.  
"Maybe... for old time's sake," he mumbled, smiling to himself, and lifted himself upwards towards the outer wall.

When his feet hit the ground on the other side, Link was met with the familiar fragrance of Hyrule Castle's flower garden. He straightened himself up, adjusted his hat, and made his way among the patches of red, blue, pink, green, and orange.  
Yet - as he turned a corner - he was startled by the sight of a figure standing by a small pool of water. It was a girl. She straightened quickly at sensing Link's presence, and twirled around to face him. Long, blond hair fell down past her shoulders, the colour of sunlight. Blue eyes met his own, two glittering sapphires against pale, delicate skin. She wore an elaborate, colourful dress, with the royal crest stitched onto its fabric.  
"Who... are you?" the girl asked, tilting her head to the side, and folding her hands together in front of her.  
Link could hardly believe it.  
He was standing in front of the Princess of Hyrule - Zelda.

Link had always imagined the royal family to be something sacred, something so special and worthy that from his place down in the village it all seemed far above his head - both literally, and figuratively. However, from her genuine smile and kind manner of speaking, Link learned rather quickly that the curious Princess Zelda was just a typical child, much like himself.  
The two sat among the many flowers of the garden, taking in the fragrance, the sound of water being gently poked around by the wind, and the unmistakable feeling of friendship blossoming between the two young ones.  
"So, you used to sneak in here often?" Zelda asked, looking quite amused as she twisted flower stems around her fingers, seeming to be creating a flower crown of some sorts. Link scratched the back of his head, rather bashful, and nodded.  
"Me and my friends would only sneak in at nighttime, when no one was around..."  
Zelda giggled. "I'll have to make sure my guards are doubled at nighttime, then!"  
Link also laughed, appreciating the joke, but noticed that there was almost a sad look in the Princess' eye.  
"Princess?" he asked, frowning at her with sincere concern.  
Zelda glanced at him, darted her eyes away almost immediately, and placed the flower crown on her lap.  
"I've never had many friends other than Impa and my father..." she mumbled, looking quite downcast and lonely.  
Link found this difficult to believe. Such a nice, friendly girl like Zelda shouldn't have had any trouble making friends! He didn't want to say so, though, since Zelda _was _a girl, and he didn't want her to think he liked her or something...  
"Oh! You've been here for quite some time, haven't you?" Zelda suddenly sprang up, carrying the flowers with her, and looking slightly apprehensive. "Your parents will worry."  
It was like a punch in the gut, but Link kept his expression neutral. Barely.  
"My parents are dead," he said, as a treacherous lump formed in his throat.  
Zelda looked injured, as though they were _her _parents, and closed her eyes for a moment.  
"I am so sorry," she whispered, and the two were silent for a moment. Suddenly, with a graceful motion, Zelda opened her eyes, took a step closer to Link, and placed the flower crown around his head.  
"There! A symbol of our friendship!"  
Link blinked, and gently touched the crown, his fingers brushing against the soft petals.  
Zelda smiled at him, and folded her hands behind her back. Then something else seemed to occur to her, and she quickly thrust her hand into her pocket, pulling out a necklace. It was a leather cord with a pale blue stone attached.  
"I have an idea!" she exclaimed. "This is a Gossip Stone. My father and I each have one, to communicate whenever he's far away. I never feel alone, even when he's gone. This way, we can always talk to each other whenever you feel sad, and you won't have to be alone, either!"  
She looked so happy, so earnest, that Link found himself accepting the Gossip Stone without really understanding what it was or how it worked.  
"Thank... Thank you, Princess..." he mumbled, looking down at the stone in his hand, and feeling a smile spread over his features. Warmth spread throughout his chest, embracing his aching heart. Yes, he wouldn't have to be so alone if he had someone nice like Zelda to talk to. He looked up at her, and smiled, the first truly genuine smile in a long time. The sun seemed to shine a little brighter at that moment.

Even two years later, that same warmth accompanied Link wherever he went, keeping the sadness at bay, and allowing him to rediscover the happy things in life.

"Your Highness! They've broken into the Triforce of Power's chamber! It's... it's...!"  
The King of Hyrule turned his eyes away from the guards, and allowed his sorrow to seep into his expression for only a moment. Perhaps his kingdom was truly lost to him. If Gannon had the Triforce of Power... His own daughter, Zelda, held the Triforce of Wisdom, and with only a few reassuring words fled his presence to take care of the situation. He was sure that Zelda's mother had passed onto her the secret spell to protect the Triforce of Wisdom, just as her mother had done before her, yet anxiety filled the king's mind. From the basement area where he and a few guards had taken refuge, he could barely see the darkened sky through the window. Gannon, the Prince of Darkness, had finally attacked Hyrule. The King had known it was only a matter of time, yet as the years passed, the threat became less and less imposing on his mind.  
Perhaps that was his greatest folly.  
Gannon's dark creatures nearly blotted out the sun with their wicked wings, cruel and twisted against the beautiful blue sky. The town had been attacked by his ground troops, no doubt, and despite being their ruler, the King had no idea what their status was.  
"We must simply rely on Zelda..." the King murmured, and closed his eyes as though to block out the horror of what was happening.

Link frowned at Sarah, hardly believing what she was saying.  
"What do you mean!?" he demanded, thrusting a finger at the misshapen sword laying on her kitchen table. "I came all this way to show you my very first sword, and you tell me it's a dud?!"  
Sarah sighed, and crossed her arms, the way she did when she was trying to seem like she knew everything.  
"It's definitely bad," was all she said. Her father let out a boisterous laugh, and slapped Link on the shoulder.  
"Now, now, you know Sarah! She's all words! It's a fine first piece, Link! Your father would be proud."  
Link let how pleased this comment made him shine through his smile. "Thank you!"  
"You'd best stay for supper before you head off," Sarah's father insisted, glancing out the window. "It seems like it's getting dark rather quickly."  
Sarah also glanced out the window, and frowned, looking confused.  
"Really? Already? That's odd."  
Link scratched his head, also a little perplexed, but was just about to accept to the dinner offer when another man from the village suddenly burst into the home, looking frantic and pale.  
"What's going on?" Sarah's father asked, looking concerned.  
"It's... It's Gannon! He's... he's attacked Hyrule! Creatures pouring out of the castle! They must have infiltrated from underground! A thick cloud of strange bird creatures is swarming the castle town!"  
Link froze. Sarah grabbed the table for support. Her father did not hesitate.  
"We must hurry and evacuate the village! Then we aid Hyrule Castle Town!"  
The man in the doorway nodded. "Yes! I'll alert the villagers!"  
"Link, you must hurry home, and see if your grandfather is safe!" Sarah cried, grabbing onto Link's hand. Link shook his head quickly, to rid himself of any hesitation, and gave Sarah a determined expression.  
"I will! I'll meet up with you all later!"  
Sarah's father nodded, and rushed from the room. Link and Sarah followed, cutting through the now crowded streets. People rushing to and fro, screaming, crying, terrified for their lives. It was all too much for Link, but he steeled his heart, and summoned all his courage. Now was the time to be brave, not to falter and run. He had to make sure his grandfather was safe. Ever since that fire, two years ago, his grandfather was all he had left.  
As he made his way into the forest outskirts of the village, he noticed Sarah was still running alongside him.  
"Sarah?!" He glanced at her, surprised. "What are you doing?!"  
Sarah shook her head. "Did you think I was serious back there?! Father would never have let me come with you, so I'm doing it in secret!"  
"But... if he sees you're not with the rest, he'll be worried!"  
"He'll know I followed you. I'm sure of it!"  
Link was silent for a moment; but he couldn't deny she was right. They had always stuck together. Why would now be any different?  
"Alright." There was no point in fighting her. "I'm glad you're coming with me."  
Sarah beamed. "Of course you are!"

The two made their way into the castle town. The streets were deserted, save for a few men, fighting creatures off their doorsteps. The monsters were similar to the ones Link and Sarah avoided in the forest, yet some were far less familiar. Sarah and Link drew close to a nearby building, and gave each other a look that communicated their thoughts: Be quiet.  
Link knew most of the shortcuts and hidden passages in the town, being one of those boys who liked to explore. It wasn't long before they found their way to his house, and rushed inside before anyone saw them.  
"Grandfather!" Link exclaimed, glancing all around the immediate area. From around a corner his grandfather came, rushing towards him with urgency. The two embraced.  
"You're safe!... Thank the Goddesses..." Link's grandfather was nearly in tears. He spotted Sarah, and heaved a great sigh.  
"Of course you came, as well."  
Link opened his mouth to reply, yet was cut off by a familiar light emanating from beneath his tunic, near his neck. His eyes widened, and for a moment he was caught off-guard by the secret being exposed to his grandfather and Sarah. Both made surprised exclamations, yet Link made no time to answer them. He pulled on the leather cord around his neck and the Gossip Stone emerged - he and Zelda's line of communication for two years. The two had become very good friends, sharing stories of castle life and life in the forest.  
"Princess!" Link exclaimed, clutching onto the stone as though it were Zelda. "Are you alright?!"  
"Princess?" Sarah repeated, looking dumbfounded.  
"A Gossip Stone...!" Link's grandfather breathed, shocked at the sight.  
"I am fine, Link, but there isn't much time...! Gannon invaded the castle, and he has taken the Triforce of Power!"  
Link paused, the unfamiliar terms dancing in his head. "What?"  
"It's a powerful object bestowed to us by the Goddesses! It's the duty of the Royal Family to protect them. I have in my possession the Triforce of Wisdom, and it must not fall into Gannon's hands!"  
Link didn't have time to process the information, but he didn't dwell on it.  
"What should I do?!"  
"I have scattered the Triforce into eight shards!" Zelda's speech was hurried and serious, very different from their usual conversations. "Impa knows the location of the first shard, and I have sent her to you. You must find them, Link!"  
It all began to sink in a little, and Link found himself a little panicked. "Me!?"  
"Yes, you! You are the only person I can trust, Link. Please!"  
The weight of the world had been thrust on his shoulders in 2.5 seconds, and Link wasn't sure how to feel about that; but before he had a chance to reply, Sarah suddenly spoke up.  
"We will, Princess!" she cried. "We'll do it!"  
Zelda paused, as though wondering who this girl was, but if she was surprised, it didn't show in her voice when she responded.  
"Thank you. Thank you so much!"  
There was a sound from the stone, that sounded much like a door being opened. A hurried gasp - and then the light from the stone faded.  
Link fixed Sarah with a stare.  
"What do you mean 'we'?" he asked.  
"I'm coming, too!" Sarah had her stubborn face on. "I'm your best friend, and you're not going without me!"  
Link wanted to tell her it was dangerous, to go back to her father, but he didn't. He closed his eyes, and centered himself.  
"...Thank you, Sarah."  
After all, he was a little afraid to go alone.  
"Link..."  
The two children jumped, startled by Link's grandfather's sudden words. He had been silent this whole time.  
"Link, I had a feeling... that something like this would happen in my lifetime."  
He looked sad, and much, much older. Link placed a hand on his, concerned for his grandfather.  
"I never dreamed you would be the one to fight it..."  
There was silence in the room; then, slowly, as though the life were being drained from him, his grandfather left the room. Link and Sarah knew that they had to wait, and did so.  
When the elderly man returned, it was with a beautiful white sword. Link stared. It looked so familiar.  
"Is that..."  
"Yes." His grandfather nodded. "I managed to salvage this from the fire, two years ago. Your father made this sword for the day you would become a man. I am... so, so glad I managed to save it for you."  
Tears sprung into Link's eyes as he took the sword into his hands. It had his name engraved on the handle... His father's work.  
"Grandfather, I..." Link's voice was choked with emotion.  
"You won't be going alone, so I'm not too worried," his grandfather remarked, smiling with a melancholy look in his eyes. "But I pray this sword serves you well."  
Sarah came up beside Link, admiring the sword with quiet awe.  
"It's beautiful..." she whispered. Link nodded.  
"It really is."  
"For you, Sarah." Link's grandfather produced a quiver filled with arrows, and a lovely wooden bow.  
"I made this one myself!" he exclaimed, looking proud. "I still have the ol' touch, even after all these years! You hunted with your father, right?"  
Sarah took the bow in her hands, looking nervous, as though holding a weapon made her commitment all the more real.  
"Yes... I can handle a bow. Thank you!"  
Link and Sarah exchanged a look, each carrying their own method of survival.  
It was time to go.

Time to go and save Hyrule!

* * *

_Thank you so much for reading! Please review!  
__- Haru_


	3. Chapter 2

The forest surrounding Hyrule Castle Town was peaceful. Sun filtered down through the trees, soft and warm, so unlike the atmosphere Link and Sarah had left behind.  
It had been one day since they had left on their journey to save Hyrule.  
Courage had been easy to find at first; yet, now, Link was feeling a little down. A day already, and they had found no sign of Impa. How were they supposed to retrieve the first shard if they couldn't find her?  
Zelda had always spoken fondly of Impa. She was Zelda's handmaid, loyal to the kingdom, with a serious disposition. Link could only hope he would somehow come across her.  
Yet even if he did, would he be able to recognise her?

"It's getting dark, Link... we should make camp."  
Link snapped himself out of his troubled thoughts. Sarah was watching him, looking concerned.  
"Link?"  
"Oh... sorry." Link scratched the back of his head, feeling guilty for worrying his friend, and gave her a short smile. "Sure! Let's set up."  
The two rolled out their sleeping bags, gathered some firewood, and ate from their packs near the flames. It was comforting to stare up at the twinkling sky, yet there was a loneliness Link felt at the absence of his grandfather. Sarah looked a little apprehensive, too. It was his fault she was even here to begin with. Yet Link was sure she wouldn't go back, even now. Her friendship meant a lot to him.  
"Sarah... thanks for-"  
Link was cut off by the rustling of bushes in the distance, the growls of monsters, and a quick, urgent cry.  
"What was that?!" Link jumped to his feet, grabbing his sword as he did so and strapping it around his waist.  
"I'm not sure, but I think someone's in trouble!" Sarah grabbed her bow and quiver, and the two rushed off into the night, their mutual goal made clear.

Link rushed through the trees, his footsteps following the sounds of shrubbery and branches being shoved aside. His sword slide from his sheath with ease, and as he gripped the handle his father engraved for him, he felt as though his father's spirit were with him, sending him courage. Quite suddenly, as Link and Sarah ran, they burst through the thick foliage into a sort of clearing. A elderly woman, wise and proud-looking, was backed against a tree. Blood soaked her side - which was why she could no longer run from the two goblins slowly approaching her. They did not look like the regular goblins Link saw from his adventures in the woods - they wore armour, and carried weapons.  
Link and Sarah exchanged a look. Sarah knocked an arrow, and Link burst through the trees. Surprised, the goblins spun around, and growled, their red lips curling over their crooked teeth.  
With a swift motion Sarah unleashed an arrow straight into one of the goblin's forehead. Link pushed the struggling goblin aside lunged for the other. Steel met steel, yet Link found it easy to push the goblin's blade aside. Surprised by being knocked back, the creature left himself wide open. Link took advantage of this, and thrust his sword forward, piercing through a weak spot in the goblin's leather armour. For a moment, the combatant's eyes met, and Link saw nothing but anger and hatred. It disturbed him. Yet he and Sarah had emerged victorious, and had saved the old woman in the process.  
Sarah jogged closer to the two, and rushed to the old woman, leaning down next to her with a frightened expression.  
"Are you alright, ma'am?!"  
Link quickly sheathed his sword after cleaning the blade and scurried over to the woman's other side. She was now sitting on the ground, leaning back against the tree. Her eyes were closed, and she was breathing faintly.  
"Quick, Sarah, let's get some bandages and take her back to camp!"  
Sarah nodded, and the two exchanged serious expressions before heading off their separate ways. Sarah, to get the bandages, and Link to carry the woman back to camp.

"My name is Impa... I was travelling through these woods when Gannon's men found me."  
The old woman, Impa, was huddled in blankets near the fire. She was drinking a cup of hot chocolate that Sarah had prepared, and the two had patched her up enough for her to sit up. At her words, Link straightened, and his eyes widened.  
"You... You're Impa?!"  
Impa, surprised, looked over at Link. "Y-Yes... Is something the matter?"  
Sarah had also jumped, and glanced at Link with an urgent expression. "Link..."  
"Link?!" It was Impa's turn to looked shocked. "You're Link?! The one Princess Zelda-"  
"Yes, that's me." Link sat closer to Impa, focusing all his concentration on the elderly woman in front of him. "Princess Zelda told me that I must find the shards of the... ah... Triforce of Wisdom."  
"That's right," Impa replied, nodding sagely. "The Triforce is the key to unlocking the secrets of Hyrule. The Royal Family has protected them ever since the Goddesses blessed our land with them."  
Sarah frowned. "So... the Triforce is the key to unlocking a great power... and Ganon wants them for himself? And the Princess split the Triforce of Wisdom to keep Ganno from getting it... right?"  
Impa nodded. "Yes, exactly. The Queens of the royal family passed down a spell to shatter the Triforce in case of such an emergency. Each shard points to the next, and the location of the first shard was given to me when Gannon invaded."  
Link took a moment to process this information. Sarah stared up at the sky, also thinking.  
"Alright... Impa, you'll need to find someplace safe to go once you tell us where the first shard is." Sarah smiled over at the old woman, and patted her shoulder. "My father is taking my village to the northern caves. We can take you there if you like."  
Impa returned Sarah's smile, but shook her head. "No, Sarah. I can make it on my own."  
"Are you sure?" Link frowned, yet Impa gave him a stubborn look.  
"Yes, I'm sure. Now, as for the first shard..."  
The two fidgeted, slightly uncomfortable at the idea of Impa travelling alone, yet decided to leave it be.  
"The first shard is said to travel first to the largest tree in this very forest. The tree will become forever changed by the shard's magic, transforming it."  
Link frowned, his brow furrowing in thought. Sarah, however, seemed less concerned.  
"I know which tree that is! The one across the river! My father used to take me there when I was young... We'd climb it all the time!"  
Link, surprised, glanced over at his friend - and smiled. "That's... great, Sarah!"  
"Ganno's men might have somehow found out where the shard is hidden, however... so be careful." Impa gave them each a serious stare. The two nodded, taking her warning into consideration.  
"I'll rest here for the night, if that's alright with you, and head out in the morning..." Impa struggled to lay herself down with her blankets. Sarah rushed to help her, looking anxious.  
"We really ought to go with you..."  
Impa shook her head. "There is no time for that!" she insisted. "I can make it on my own, I promise."  
"Alright, Impa... if you're sure. I suppose there's no stopping you." Link sighed, and lay down at his place near the fire. Sarah followed suit, and the three fell into sleepy silence.

Impa was right when she said the shard would be found in the largest tree in Hyrule forest.  
Link craned his neck back as far as he could, yet the tree still loomed far above him. It was a beautiful sight. Leaves larger than his fists sprouted from branches thicker than his body.  
"It's amazing...!" he breathed.  
"It's... It's even bigger than it was when I used to climb it as a child..." Sarah shook her head, hardly able to believe what she was seeing.  
"I wonder if it's the shard's magic?" Link took a step back, unable to tear his eyes away from the spectacle. "Impa said the tree would be forever changed by its magic..."  
"It must be," Sarah replied. The two were silent for a moment.  
"I hope Impa found my father and the villager's..."  
Link glanced over at Sarah, who looked apprehensive.  
"I'm sure she's alright..." Link was also worried for Impa... he really hoped she was safe.  
Again there was silence. Then the two turned to face each other and nodded.  
"Time to explore the tree!" Sarah exclaimed, grinning a little, in her mischievous way.

The inside of the tree was gloomy and mysterious, yet still breathtaking. It was rather dark, so Sarah lit a candle from her pack. Link walked a little ahead of her, just in case, his sword drawn.  
"Something feels a little weird about the inside," Sarah muttered, her voice strangely loud in the hollow space. "The air is all tingly..."  
"I know what you mean." Link stared into the darkness, straining his eyes for any sign of movement. "It just feels... strange."  
They continued on like this for some time, until eventually Link heard the sounds of scuffling footsteps up ahead.  
"What was that?" Sarah's voice was hushed.  
"I'm not sure... but I'm going to scout ahead a little bit." Link inched forward, his sword at the ready, taking one careful step after another. Sarah followed behind further than usual, unable to draw an arrow thanks to the candle in her hand.  
Link would have been caught off-guard by the lunging figure if not for his focus. He quickly raised his sword to parry another - and the clang of metal resounded through the room.  
"Link!"  
"I'm alright!" Link returned over his shoulder, then turned back to meet the empty eye sockets of a skeleton - a skeleton brought to life. Link's blood ran cold, and he nearly faltered in his form.  
"What _is _that?!" Sarah squealed, the light scattering around as she jumped and shook from behind him.  
"Sarah, keep the light steady!" Link ordered, summoning his courage and pushing back against the creature.  
"A sword stab isn't going to kill that thing!" Sarah sounded panicked. "Move!"  
Link was pushed aside roughly as Sarah took his place in front of the creature, thrusting her candle forward and dousing the skeleton in flames. It opened its mouth in a soundless scream, yet the fire seemed to be effective.  
"It's working!" Link cried, grinning in disbelief.  
Sarah kicked the creature over, letting it fall to the ground. "Whoa. I just kinda jumped."  
"Well, thank the Goddesses you did!"  
The two exchanged disbelieving smiles, and a couple nervous laughs.  
"We better be careful up ahead." Link glanced ahead. "Keep beside me, in case we need that flame again!"  
"Sure thing!" Sarah took her place beside him, and the two advanced throughout the tree's insides.

Link and Sarah advanced through the tree, fighting the occasional skeletal creature as they did so.  
"I wonder why these creatures are here?" Link frowned as yet another flaming skeleton fell to the ground. "The Triforce shard shouldn't have made these monsters..."  
"Maybe Impa was right..." Sarah glanced upwards in thought. "Maybe Gannon found out about it..."  
"I hope not..." That thought frightened Link. If Gannon knew where the pieces where, then they were in for a tough fight...  
"We should hurry."  
"Right."  
The two turned to resume their walk, and came face-to-face with a very, very tall object.  
"What... is that?"  
It was green, whatever it was. Link turned his eyes upwards. It began to slim, with a -  
"Watch out!"  
Sarah and Link ducked just in time for a jet of fire to streak overhead.  
"It's a dragon! A DRAGON!" Sarah was utterly losing her sanity. "Whatta we do?!"  
Link quickly ran towards her, pulling her alongside him and rushing towards a cluster of stone.  
"You wait here! I'll go after him!"  
"What!?"  
Link rushed towards the dragon, brandishing his sword. It leered down at him, a deep growl emanating from his throat. Just as it did before, it opened its mouth to send another stream of flames, yet the sound of something whizzing through the air and the thud of an arrow landing in its chest stopped it short. The arrow wasn't enough to kill it, but the dragon was certainly distracted. Link glanced quickly over in Sarah's direction. She was standing away from the rocks, her bow at the ready.  
"Sarah!"  
"I'll distract it! Go!"  
Link nodded, still a tad surprised, and rushed to the dragon. With Sarah sending a flurry of arrows at it, it was too busy whipping its neck around to dodge them to pay attention to Link. His feet pounded against the soft ground as quickly as he could, raising his sword, his heart pounding in his chest.  
"Here I go!" he cried, and leaped upwards, swinging as sword as wide as he could, metal severing head from neck easily. Link quickly rushed backwards to avoid the falling lump of flesh. Sarah ran forward to meet him, her eyes wide with concern.  
"Link!..."  
"We did it!" Link cried. "We defeated the dragon!"  
Sarah could hardly contain her joy. She wrapped her arms around his neck and let out a joyous cry.  
"We did it! We did it!"  
The two were so busy celebrating that they hardly noticed the glimmering light rising from behind where the dragon once stood. Link happened to catch sight of it as they jumped around, and immediately slowed down.  
"Hey, what's that?"  
Sarah turned, and the two hesitated only a moment before rushing forward and examining the object.  
"It's the shard!" Link cried, hardly able to believe his eyes. "The dragon must have been guarding it!"  
"I always heard that dragons liked treasure..." Sarah grinned, and shook her head. "I guess this one was no exception."  
"We did it, Zelda..." Link smiled, and touched the stone at his neck. Sarah beamed.  
One shard down, seven to go.


End file.
